Always on my Mind
by xana4
Summary: Sequel to Vulnerable. Just because they're together, it doesn't mean that there are no hard times left ahead
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Kensi wakes up with the very annoying sound of her alarm clock. She opens her eyes as slowly as possible as sees the bright sunlight outside through the slightly open curtains. She slams her hand against the alarm clock in a movement that some would describe as something very close to a punch. The sound finally stops and the room is silent once again. Kensi closes her eyes again, knowing that she still has some time left before she has to get up to get ready to go to work. She rolls to her side and curls against the warm body resting next to hers. She smiles in contentment when his arms find her waist and he kisses the top of her head lovingly. However, she can tell by his voice that he just woke up too with that annoying alarm clock.

"Don't fall back asleep…you know we'll have to get up sooner or later." Kensi rests her head against her husband's chest and Deeks kisses the top of her head once again. They've been married for six months now but it still feels weird to call him her husband and to hear him calling her his wife. It's a good kind of weird, though. It's something that makes her smile every single time it happens and the funny thing is that when she looks across the room, he's smiling too because it feels nice to hear those words.

"Wouldn't you wake me up if I did?" She closes her eyes once again. This is so comfortable that she has to fight against the urge to fall back asleep. Deeks arms are wrapped around her to keep her as close to his body as possible and her head is resting just above his heart, on his naked chest. This is how they fall asleep every single day and it's not something they are willing to change. Deeks confessed that he falls asleep much faster when she's resting on his arms.

"I don't know if I would, actually. You look so calm and relaxed when you're asleep that I don't know if I could bring myself to do such a thing." Kensi smirks and lifts her head from his chest, fully awake now despite being half-asleep only a few seconds before. She straddles him and his lazy smile turns into a grin, fully aware of his wife's intentions and not even thinking about complaining. His hands rest on her naked hips and try to pull her in for a much needed kiss but she is not done yet.

"You had no problems doing so last Saturday when you woke me up before the sun was even up for your 'morning orgasm', right honey?" Deeks manages to pull her in this time and her lips connect with his for a passionate kiss that is bound to leave them both breathless. She feels his member hardening beneath her, responding to her like he always does. Kensi opens her mouth to give him full access when he licks her lower lip, asking for entrance and starts rubbing herself against his erection. Deeks grabs her waist and manages to flip them over before she has the time to react. When air becomes an issue, he pulls back and looks into those eyes that he loves so much, now much darker with lust clouding them.

"I wanted to go surf and I needed some inspiration." He attaches his lips to her neck this time, kissing it and sucking that special place that always turns her knees into jelly and makes her melt completely. She lets out a soft moan and he smirks against her neck.

"You ended up staying in bed until lunch, though." Deeks is paying attention to her breasts now, making her stop thinking altogether. She wants him now and this foreplay is just a mean way to tease her. He knows what she wants, he always does. She's usually one for foreplay but, for some reason, today she just wants to feel him inside of her as soon as possible. He pulls back from her chest making her whimper with the loss of contact and looks into her eyes.

"Well, with a sexy wife like you, can anyone really blame me for it?" One of his hands is on her thigh when he reconnects their lips and Kensi knows he's teasing her by moving inch by inch closer to the place where she needs him the most. She pulls back from his lips to let out something between a moan, a whisper and a groan of frustration all mixed with a weak plea.

"Deeks, please…" He understands what she wants immediately and his hand finds her warm entrance. When he touches her, just a light brush of his finger, she moans and grabs his member to let him know she needs him inside of her badly. Deeks is not one to deny her anything so, supporting his weight on his arms not to crush her, he enters her with one swift movement. The moment he's inside of her, her tight wet walls surrounding him, Kensi moans his name and he starts moving. His thrusts are hard and fast, exactly what they both need at the moment. There will be plenty of time to be sweet and gentle some other time. The only thing she is capable of doing besides meeting him thrust by thrust is moan and hold onto his biceps.

He knows she's close when she starts squeezing his arms harder than before and when she starts moaning his name over and over again. Deeks is close too so her presses one of his thumbs against her clit, never stopping his movements. That does it for her. She comes with a loud scream of his name, her head thrown back in pleasure and her back arching from the bed never once letting go of his arms. He follows right after, her name on his lips mixed with a groan of pleasure. He buries his head on the space where her neck meets her shoulder and stays there, still buried deep inside of her, until he regains his breath back.

As soon as he can breathe again, Deeks rolls to his side and pulls Kensi with him, making her lay her head on his chest once again. She is still breathing fast and he's not in a much better state himself but they both know they need to get up in the next 15 minutes to get ready for work. Deeks kisses the top of her head and she wraps one of her legs around his, making him smile.

"Who needs coffee when you're around?" Those are the first words that leave his mouth once he's sure he's capable of forming a coherent thought. Kensi laughs and lifts her head from his chest again. He reaches out and strokes her hair, now slightly messier than before, looking into the eyes of the woman he loves more than anything else on this world.

"Does that mean you're not in for a 'good-morning shower'?" The intentions behind her words are clear to him. Deeks smirks and throws the sheets away before carrying his laughing wife to the bathroom in his arms. He thanks all gods that she always sets up her alarm clock so early. Otherwise, they wouldn't have time for this kind of morning activities that leave them both in such a good mood before work.

**X**

**X**

**X**

**Here's the first chapter of Vulnerable's sequel. What do you think about it?**

**Trust me, there's so much more to come…review and let me know what you think about it.**

**Sarah**


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you so much for your reviews, alerts and favorites. Your support means everything to me. Now, I know that this chapter isn't very good but it's essential to the development of the story so I needed to write it and post it. You won't see much Kensi/Deeks direct interaction for a couple of chapters but I promise you that I'll write lots of stuff about them to post in future chapters. It will all make sense really soon._

_Anyway, I'm not sure of when I'll be able to post the next chapter but I can assure you that it will be before the end of the week. Reviews make me work harder on the next ones too._

_Read and tell me what you think about it,_

_Sarah_

**Chapter 2**

When Kensi and Deeks walk through the doors of the bullpen that morning, Kensi has a bad feeling. She can't describe it any better than that. Maybe it's female intuition or maybe it's just her years of being an agent trying to warn her that something's about to happen. One way or another, she shakes it off and sits on her desk. Deeks notices this and gives her a questioningly look but she just shrugs and gives him a reassuring smile to let him know she's okay. Sam walks in after them and sits on his desk. Callen is already there, the usual newspaper on his hands and the carefree look on his face. Then the usual banter begins, this time started by Sam.

"I think we should all go green around here. The Planet needs us and we are not doing enough for it. Maybe I'll even try to convince Hetty to help me with it. After all, she might have some good ideas too, right?" They all lift their heads at the same time but Callen is the one who dares to speak, a look of disbelieve on his features.

"Don't you even dare thinking about that! I mean, I'm all for saving the Planet and all that but don't talk to Hetty about it. We already tried the 'go green' thing around here but we both know that the coffee doesn't taste the same without the paper cups." Kensi shakes her head, knowing that this argument is far from over, and goes back to her paperwork. Deeks tries to focus on his reports too but Sam looks directly at him with that look on his eyes that would make most men run for cover. The thing is, after hearing the 'big brother speech' from Callen and Sam, Deeks can't bring himself to be that easily scared.

"What about you? What do you do to help the environment?" Kensi looks up and smirks when she notices that the question is aimed at Deeks and not at her.

"We recycle, okay? I'm not a selfish monster, just so you know…" Sam opens his mouth to answer but he doesn't have the chance to because Kensi jumps up from her chair with a big smile on her face and almost runs in the direction of the door. Sam turns around along with the other two men in the room just in time to see Kensi hugging Mike Renko with all her mind. Renko hugs her back but when they finally pull back everyone in the room can see by the look on his face that something's not right.

"What's going on?" Kensi's the one who breaks the silence, being also the one who is the closest to him. Renko sighs and that's when they all know that it's something bad.

"Do you remember that case Kensi and I worked on a few years ago? The main suspect of the investigation was William Shark. Do you remember that?" The question is aimed at Callen and he doesn't have to think for too long before giving him an answer. Deeks notices Kensi trembling slightly in Renko's arms after hearing that name. He frowns but doesn't have the chance to say anything because Callen answers Renko.

"Yes, of course I do. You said that the guy was a monster. He used to cut off his victims fingers one by one just so he could hear them screaming in pain. You also said that he branded them with a burning piece of metal before killing them. I also know that you killed the guy." Renko shakes his head and everyone looks confused for a moment. He clarifies everything, though. Kensi seems sick just with the thought of it.

"Hetty called me this morning. He's not dead. Some security cameras caught him a few hours ago, alive and well enough to shop." Kensi shakes her head and speaks for the first time since she heard the name of their suspect. Deeks can tell that even though she's not easily scared, this man definitely scares her.

"That's impossible. I saw you shooting him twice in the chest. I saw him starting to bleed out and I saw him falling into the ocean. There is no way that he survived that. It's not possible, Renko. There must be a mistake." Renko opens his mouth to answer her but Hetty cuts him off.

"I'm afraid that there is no mistake, Agent Blye. Your alias was contacted through email last night and that's why I called Agent Renko. It's time for Elizabeth Parker to go back and finish what she started. Seeing as Agent Renko's cover was blown the last time you two were there, Agent Callen will go with you this time. Go upstairs and Eric will give you all the information you'll need to survive the next few months." Both agents nod and walk upstairs.

Deeks is frozen, not sure of what to do or say. This guy is obviously dangerous and he doesn't want Kensi to be anywhere near him. To problem is that they don' have a choice. It comes with the job and one of the first things he is forced to accept after marrying Kensi is that their relationship has to stay out of the way at work. He needs to shake off his feelings for his wife and focus on the job. Easier said than done, of course, but he can still care about his partner. The idea of her going in straight into the lion's den doesn't please Deeks, her partner, almost as it doesn't please Deeks, her husband. One way or another, he gets up and follows them upstairs, ready to offer his support and help with anything they might need.


	3. Chapter 3

Kensi walks in the direction of the small coffee shop where William wants to meet her. She's not Kensi anymore. From now on, her name is Elizabeth Parker and she is a woman who will do anything to please her boss. The last time she was undercover with this guy Renko was undercover with her, passing as her husband. Now, even though Callen's near, she feels completely alone. Maybe it's because she's so used to work with Deeks by now that working with any other person seems weird. Or maybe it's because they are completely alone on this job. They don't have security cameras with them, they don't have microphones with them, and they aren't allowed to have any type of contact with anyone but each other. For all intents and purposes, they are alone and the guys back in the OPS center are completely blind. The only thing they have is a burned phone to use in emergency cases only and a security camera aimed at the house they are staying in. However, that's not enough and they all know it.

William Shark is already sitting at the table, waiting for her. Kensi walks to him with a fake smile on her face and he smiles back at her in a seductive manner as soon as he sees her. He motions for her to take a seat across from him and leans in to talk to her in a way that no one else around them would be able to hear. It's been a few years since she has last seen him but he hasn't changed a bit. On the outside he seems to be a player that cares about nothing but women. On the inside, Kensi knows he's dangerous and that the wrong word could send her to that damn chair where he tortures his victims without mercy.

"Beth…long time no see, my dear. How have you been?"

"I know you well enough to know that the email you sent me wasn't just to make sure I was still alive. You don't care that much about how I have been. Why don't you just tell me what you want from me?" William seems impressed with her guts but then laughs, probably remembering just how strong and independent Elizabeth Parker really is. That's probably the only thing Kensi has in common with this alias.

"I heard your husband was arrested right after he shot me. Is he still in prison or will I have to kill him any time soon?" Kensi laughs and shakes her head.

"You never change, do you? Don't worry, he's still in jail. He'll stay there for a very long time. I must say, I'm glad to know you survived."

"I'm glad to know you're okay too. You disappeared right after he shot me. I thought you had gotten into some kind of trouble…"

"You should know by now that I'm the last person you need to worry about. I just figured that after everything that went down it would be better for me if I disappeared for a while. That's what I did. I only came back because of your email." William smirks and Kensi knows that the player side of him is starting to come out. It makes her want to punch him repeatedly but she needs to keep in mind that she's Elizabeth Parker and not Kensi Blye. Elizabeth enjoys the flirting and the attention.

"You know, if I remember correctly, you and James had quite a physical relationship going on. It must be hard for a woman like you to have her husband in jail. Conjugal visits are probably not the best way to satisfy your needs." Kensi feels disgusted with what he's implying but glad that he actually said that. It's the perfect way to bring Callen into the picture without seeming too suspicious.

"Actually, James and I agreed to have an open relationship while he's in jail. I'm free to do whatever I want to with whoever I want to. He doesn't mind because he knows he can't be around to keep me satisfied and I'm happy with the arrangement. It's a win-win situation for both of us." William smirks again and leans in closer to her, taking a peak down to her breasts on the way without even trying to disguise it.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that. I'm not a big fan of your husband but I'm sure that we could work something out with that arrangement, if you're interested. I'd be more than happy to help him with his husband duties while he can't fulfill them…" Kensi laughs again and resists the urge to slap him hard across the face.

"I feel flattered with the offer but I already have someone to do that for me. Besides, we both know that we shouldn't mix business with pleasure. I know you need me for something and I'll be happy to help you with whatever it is. I work with a new guy now, if you want a team. I can introduce him to you. I can assure you that he's trustworthy." William's smirk is replaced with a grin that intensifies her will to castrate him and make sure he never gets to touch another woman again in his life.

"A friend of yours is a friend of mine." He hands her a piece of paper with an address scrabbled on it and puts some money on the table to pay for what he had. "Bring him over tomorrow around the same time as today and we'll discuss the business arrangements there. Take care, cariño!" He puts his sunglasses on and walks to his car. Kensi gets up too and walks to the car she's supposed to drive during the duration of this job. She drives to the house she's currently sharing with Callen and finds him sitting on the living room couch. He looks at her as soon as she walks in and she gives him a small smile while taking her heels off.

"We're in!"

X

X

Back in the OPS center

Deeks watches the images of Kensi chatting with the disgusting-looking guy on the coffee shop. He doesn't like seeing a guy getting this close to his wife (or his partner, for the matter) but they all know the job requires this kind of things and that he better get used to it. He lets out a small sigh of relief when the guy walks away and when Kensi does the same. Deeks feels a bit stupid for a moment but when he looks to his side and sees Sam and Renko doing the same thing, he knows that he's not the only one worrying about her this much. Sure, Callen is with her and they all know he wouldn't allow anything bad o happen to her but that doesn't mean they can stop worrying.

They only truly relax when they see her walking inside the house she's sharing with Callen. That's probably because they know that she's completely safe with Callen and in their house. Hetty sends them all home and they follow her orders, reluctantly. Deeks is organizing a few papers in his desk to get ready to leave when Renko walks to him and sits on the couch of the bullpen. Deeks understands that he wants to talk to him.

"Kensi can take care of herself, man." Deeks nods and sits on his chair, facing him. He knows she can take care of herself but it is unsettling knowing that he can't be there to help her with this. Renko seems to understand what's going on through his minds because he continues. "She will need you badly when she comes back from this. She will see things there that most people can't even imagine. She'll see people getting tortured right in front of her and she won't be able to do a damn thing to stop it. That takes a toll on people…" Deeks nods but smiles, thinking about his wife.

"Kensi's tough." Renko nods with a big smile on his face and Deeks knows that he is well aware of just how though she is. He knows he's been on the receiving end of one of her well-aimed punches more than once.

"I know she's though but she will need her husband when she gets back, Deeks. Last time she went there, it took her a whole month to be able to sleep without me in her house. And even like that she woke up screaming with nightmares every single night. It's not easy, Deeks. But you know Kensi. She will put that fucking wall back up and will try to block you out. Don't let her do it." Deeks nods and Renko gets up to leave. Deeks goes home too, trying not to think of how lonely he's going to feel in that house without Kensi or how hard it is going to be to fall asleep without holding her in his arms. He sighs and drives home.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hi everyone. I don't know why but I'm not getting the feedback I was looking for with this story. It makes no sense because it's on many alerts and favs lists. Please, if you read my story and like it let me know what you think about it. Just one word or two is more than enough for me. **_

_**Now, I tried to take this into a different direction. I know it sounds a bit strange but continue to read to see if I can pull this one off. **_

_**Review and I'll update as soon as I can…**_

_**Sarah**_

**2 months later**

Callen is sitting on the couch of the living room of the one that has been their house for the past two months. Time seems to slow down when you work on a case like this one. Every single day seems to last a whole week and he can see Kensi starting to break down right in front of his eyes.

Sure, while on the field she puts the 'everything's perfect' mask on but as soon as they get home it's a completely different story. Her smile falters and he knows she hasn't been sleeping much lately. He can't really blame her for that. Every single day they see innocent people getting tortured just because they own this guy a few bucks.

Seeing that kind of stuff and knowing you can't stop it is enough to make anyone unable to sleep.

Kensi walks in the living room and Callen frowns when he gets a good look at her.

There's something different about her this morning and Callen walks to her immediately, knowing something's not right.

She's paler than usual, her hands are shaking slightly as she grabs the mug of coffee and she looks deep in thoughts.

Callen rests a hand on her arm and that seems to be enough for her. Before he knows it, Kensi puts her mug down and throws herself into his arms, crying.

Callen has no idea of what's going on but holds her tight anyway.

Somehow, he knows this has nothing to do with the torture they've been witnessing every single day. Kensi is a strong woman and doesn't break down into tears for that, at least not while they are still working on the case. Later on, he's sure she will cry for all those people she saw getting hurt but she's professional enough not to do it while they are in the middle of an operation.

It takes her minutes to calm down but when she finally does, Kensi pulls back and looks into Callen's worried eyes. "Something's not right, Callen!"

X

Deeks arrives at the OPS center and tries to shake off the bad feeling he's been having ever since this morning.

It's not normal for him to wake up with this kind of thoughts so he knows something is about to happen.

He doesn't know if it is because of his years as a cop that makes him be able to tell when something's not right or if it is something to do with his wife.

He hopes that it is the first option because he doesn't want to deal with anything bad happening to Kensi. That's the thought that has been on his mind every single day for the past two months.

He sees her every day.

Well, he sees images of her every single day.

Eric follows their every move through security cameras installed on the streets but it's not enough for him. He misses her and is not afraid to admit it in front of the team. Sam and Renko tease him about it for a couple of days but they don't do it anymore, probably because they understand how serious the situation is becoming.

He sees how tired and emotionally worn out she looks every single night, when she gets back to the apartment. He wishes he could help her. Now he knows exactly what Renko meant with that conversation all those weeks ago.

She will need him when she gets back.

He's sitting on his desk when it happens and the next few minutes are a blur.

Deeks hears Hetty's phone ringing with a text message. For some reason he can't quite explain, he looks up just in time to see the woman's face transforming from one of calmness to one of pure nervousness in record time. Sam and Renko are also watching her.

Hetty gets up as fast as she can and yells for Eric to come downstairs and pull out the security images from the camera outside Callen's and Kensi's apartment.

Eric rushes downstairs and broadcasts the images into the TV in the middle of the bullpen. Everything seems normal and they all look at Hetty questioningly. She doesn't move a muscle, just stares at the TV.

Then, there's movement. They see Callen and Kensi arriving at the street. They park the car just outside the building and they all notice how they both look straight at the camera, something they've been warned to avoid at all costs. They walk inside the house and Deeks notices the small paper bag Kensi has on her hands. They close the door behind them and they all look at Hetty once again.

This time, Hetty grabs her phone and shows it to Sam who passes it to Renko with a worried look on his face.

Renko looks confused with the message but passes the phone to Deeks.

_We're done, Hetty! _

The message could mean so many things. The possibility of their identities being made is the first thing that pops into his brain.

But if that was the case there was no reason for them to go back to the apartment. Why would they walk straight into the trap?

Hetty doesn't take her eyes off the screen but Deeks hand her the phone anyway.

Sam is the one who asks her the question that is burning in everyone's mind. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Hetty finally looks at them and sighs. "This message was sent through Mr. Callen's fake number. I'm not sure of what he means by this but something is going to happen, that's for sure. They wouldn't try to contact us for no reason!"

Renko asks what Deeks wants to but doesn't have the guts to ask. "Are they in danger?"

Hetty's answer makes them all let out small sighs of relief. "I don't think so. If that was the case, Mr. Callen would send us a direct message and not this thing that looks like an encrypted message. They would ask for direct help if they thought they were in danger."

As soon as Hetty says this, they all turn back to the monitor to see if there is anything there that will give them an idea of what's going on. The next seconds seem to pass in slow motion for Deeks.

They see Kensi opening the kitchen window and disappearing back to the house.

They see Callen watering the plants in the balcony and going back inside.

Exactly eight seconds after Callen walks back inside they see a little flame by the kitchen window. Deeks drowns and Eric tries to figure out what that is but they don't have the time to do anything.

There's an explosion.

It's violent and they all know no one would survive that kind of thing.

They stand frozen in front of the screen, not knowing what to do or say.

Hetty is the first one to speak and her voice is a bit shaky when she does. "Mr. Hannah, Mr. Renko, go to the apartment and claim it as our crime scene. The explosion doesn't seem to have affected any apartment but theirs so as soon as you are done there you can arrest William Shark and charge him for the death of two federal agents."

Deeks stands frozen, looking at the screen. When Hetty turns to him he sees the unshed tears on her eyes and that does it for him.

Deeks can't stand it any longer.

He goes to the gym and punches away his pain.

The anger doesn't last long and in a few short minutes, he's on his knees crying for the death of the love of his life, the woman who he will always love no matter what.


	5. Chapter 5

Sam parks his car outside Callen's and Kensi's apartment and sighs. There is an ambulance on the street, two police cars and many people around, trying to understand what happened. Renko gets out of the car and Sam can tell he's on the verge of breaking down. Losing Callen and Kensi was not part of the plan. Losing two people who were like family to them…it was never a part of any plan. Sam follows Renko and goes to talk to someone who belongs to LAPD. The cop is trying to get some information out of an old woman who Sam recognizes as one of their neighbors.

Sam stands close by to listen to the interrogation. "Did you know the owners of the apartment?"

The lady is trying to remain calm and answers the cop. "Yes, they were a very nice couple. I think that their jobs weren't very good, though. Every single morning they seemed to leave in a good mood but at night they seemed stressed. One way or another, it was clear as water on Elizabeth's face. I'm not sure if he knew about it but as soon as I saw her, I knew it."

Sam frowns and so does the cop. "What did you see on the woman's face?"

The lady let out a small smile. "She was pregnant. I could tell that because she was glowing, even when she seemed stressed. Trust me, I had five kids and fifteen grandchildren. I know a pregnant woman when I see one."

Sam freezes as soon as he hears this and rushes off to go find Renko and tell him what he just heard. This is not good. If this is true, Deeks will never be able to recover. In fact, one way or another, he's sure Deeks will never be able to come back to his old self. Well, no one can really blame him for it.

X

Renko walks inside what used to be the apartment and sighs. He's not sure he can handle this. The furniture is all unrecognizable and there is no way anyone would survive this kind of thing. They all knew that as soon as they saw the explosion but walking in the crime scene was completely different. This is too real for him.

Renko finds a cop by the door of what used to be the kitchen and talks to him. "I'm agent Renko, NCIS. This is our crime scene. Have you found the bodies yet?"

The man looks at his badge and sighs. "Unfortunately we don't know if we can do that. As you can see there are too many things scattered on the floor. It can take a few hours to find and identify the bodies."

Renko nods and tries to look as professional as possible. "Well, we can take it from here."

The cop nods and turns to walk away but turns back to Renko. "I heard a rumor that the woman was Deeks wife. Is it true?"

Renko looks at the man's worried face but doesn't care about that. Deeks has no friends working for LAPD. "I can't give you any details about an on-going investigation. I'm sorry."

The cop walks away just as Sam rushes to Renko. He seems to freeze for a few seconds when he sees just in how bad shape the apartment is and Renko understands exactly what he feels. However, Sam gets over that and walks to Renko.

His voice is no louder than a whisper because there are still two cops by the door. "A neighbor thinks Kensi was pregnant."

Renko seems shocked. "Well, that could give her away and make her break her cover. That can explain it. Kensi wouldn't let anything else get the better of her."

Sam nods. "Yes, but don't you think Callen would make her go back home as soon as he found out about that?"

Renko shrugs. "Sure he would. But Kensi was a very good liar. She could keep it a secret from Callen."

Sam shakes his head in disagreement. "Yes, Kensi was a very good liar but she couldn't keep something like this away from Callen. He knows her too well for that. The moment she found out, he would be able to tell just by the look on her face."

Renko seem thoughtful for a moment. "What if she didn't know?"

Sam shakes his head once again. "They've been here undercover for two months which means that she was at least two months pregnant. There was no way Kensi didn't know that. How could she not notice something like that?"

"She was stressed out and with her mind on the job. She was distracted enough not to notice something like a pregnancy."

Sam seems to consider this for a moment but ends up disagreeing once again. "We still have that message Callen sent. What if he found out then that she was pregnant and that they needed to get her out of here? That could explain it…"

"But then again, if that was it, why wouldn't he send her straight there or why would Shark kill them?"

Sam sighs and looks around the house. There are too many questions left unanswered. One thing they know for sure is that Callen was trying to tell them something with that message he sent to Hetty. However, he didn't say anything directly so it could mean he thought he was being watched. This is one hell of a mess and the worst part is that they all know it's just a matter of time before their feelings start to cloud their judgment. They need to solve this one as soon as possible.

X

Deeks is sitting on the floor of the gym, his head on his hands and tears making their way down his cheeks. He can't bring himself to stop them. He's not sure he wants to stop them. Deeks is not sure of how long he's been there for but he knows it's been at least one hour. He just lost the woman he loved. What is he supposed to do now?

His phone vibrates on his pocket and Deeks feels tempted to let it be, knowing there is nothing that could make him feel better right now. However, he is overcome with a strange sense of curiosity and takes it out of his pocket. It's a text message from an unknown number. Deeks frowns but opens it anyway.

_Room 156 of LA Memorial  
>Don't tell anyone<em>

Deeks frowns once again but follows the instructions on the message. He knows he can be walking into a trap but he doesn't care. There's not much to lose anyway. He walks out of the building and into his car without sharing a word with anyone. Well, no one asks him what's going on either. He figures they don't know what to tell him after what just happened. He checks his gun and drives to the hospital. If the man who killed Kensi is trying to get to him, he will kill him with his bare hands and nothing or no one will be able to stop him from doing so.


	6. Chapter 6

William Shark is sitting on his living room, comfortably watching television.

When his doorbell rings, he doesn't care because he pays someone to open the door for him.

When he hears one of his men opening the door, he doesn't care because he knows he can handle whatever it is.

When he hears his man greeting the person on the other side with some familiarity he doesn't care because that only means that it's someone he knows.

When he hears the door closing and footsteps walking in the direction of the living room he doesn't even lift his head to look at the door because he knows everything's okay.

When he hears a gunshot, however, he looks at the door and is shocked to see who is there, standing above his man's body on the floor.

Shark gets up to look at the person who dared to walk inside his house with a gun. "I would say I'm happy to see you but that would be a lie, seeing as you just killed one of my men, so I won't bother."

The person holding the gun gives him a small smile. "I wouldn't bother with that kind of things, either. Any last words?"

Shark smirks. "You're going to kill me? What is everyone going to think about that?"

The other person is not intimidated with that thought. "Everyone is going to think that you pointed a gun at me and I shot you in self-defense. Then your man tried to kill me too and I had to defend myself."

Shark seems a bit scared. "That's a great plan but what is your conscience going to feel about that?"

The person holding the gun pointed at his head doesn't hesitate. "You tortured innocent people. You killed people just because of a few bucks. You've done things that would make most men hate themselves for the rest of their miserable life. Trust me, my conscience doesn't have a problem with this."

And without hesitation, the trigger is pulled and William Shark falls to the floor of his living room.

X

Deeks parks his car on the hospital's parking lot and sighs.

There are so many thoughts going around his head that he can't think straight anymore.

His wife was killed.

His wife would never come home to him.

She would never fall asleep on his arms again.

He would never make love to her again.

He would never be able to look into her eyes again.

He would never be able to talk to her, hold her close and whisper sweet nothings in her ear.

It just wasn't fair.

He would do anything to have her back with him once again.

He would do anything to kiss her just one last time and tell her he loved her more than anything else on this world.

He would happily trade his life for hers if he had the chance to do so.

Deeks wipes away yet another tear that made its way down his face and walks out of the car.

He has no idea of who sent this message and has the urge to walk away because he's not in the mood for little stupid games today, not after what just happened. However, there's a little voice inside his brain that tells him to go ahead with this.

His heart is trying to tell him something but he's a mess so he doesn't know what it is.

Deeks walks inside the hospital and asks a nurse where he can find the room he's looking for. She tells him to go to the third floor and he thanks her before going to the elevator and pushing number 3. He frowns when he realizes that he has no idea of what kind of patients is usually on the third floor but the smile that the nurse gave him was weird, to say the least.

However, when he steps out of the elevator he almost faints when he sees the man who is sitting on the waiting room.

X

Sam and Renko get in the car and Sam starts driving to the OPS center. There are still too many questions burning on the back of their minds. There are so many things they need to know. When the phone rings, Renko picks it up and puts it on loud speaker.

"William Shark is dead, gentleman. The police was called there a few minutes ago and found his dead body on the living room with one of his man. They told me that there was no need for us to investigate seeing as he had a long list of people who wanted him dead and only two or three who wanted him alive. However, I need you to go there and see the crime scene for yourselves."

Sam frowns. "Where's Deeks?"

Hetty sighs on the other end of the phone. "Mr. Deeks left the building a while ago."

Renko frowns this time. "Where did he go?"

Hetty understands what he's trying to imply. "I don't know Mr. Renko but I can assure you that Mr. Deeks wasn't the one who killed him. There were proofs in the house that someone was held hostage there. There was a chair with rope on it and some duct tape. It looked like whoever was being held hostage managed to escape and kill the people who were making him or her hostage."

Sam keeps driving but there are too many things that don't make sense. "Hetty, saying that you know it wasn't Deeks because of those proofs is fine but we both know he would kill that man without blinking. He might be a nice guy but there is no way in hell he would let the man who killed his wife walk away without a scratch."

Hetty sighs once again. "Go there and see the crime scene for yourselves. I have a call on the other line and I must take it."

X

Hetty hangs up the phone and answers the other one, who won't stop ringing. However, when she hears the voice one the other end of it she almost faints in pure shock.


	7. Chapter 7

Renko and Sam are on their way to the crime scene in complete silence. They don't know what to say. Hell, they don't know what to think about the whole situation. They can't bear the thought of losing the girl who is like a sister to all of them and the guy who is one of their best friends. Sam is focusing on the road ahead of them, trying hard not to think about anything at all. It's just too painful to do so. Renko is staring through the window, watching the cars and people on the street.

Suddenly, he turns to look at Sam so fast that almost pulls a muscle on his neck. "They're alive!"

Sam sighs and looks at him quickly before turning back to the road. "Renko, I wish they were but you saw the explosion and you saw the house. No one would ever be able to survive something like that. The only thing we can do is make some justice and help Deeks getting through this. I'm sure he will need all the help he can get."

Renko turns to him once again, shaking his head. "Pull over, Sam. I know what I'm talking about, trust me."

Sam sighs and pulls over. He turns to Renko. "Renko, there's nothing to discuss. I know Kensi was like a little sister to you but she was the same to me. We need to find the ones who did this to her and make them pay. Just because Shark is now dead it doesn't mean that there are no more people on his crew left to arrest. That's what we need to focus on right now."

Renko shakes his head once again. "No, they are not dead. When I first met Callen and Kensi they were already working together. They were partners for two years before I came along. They were so used to work alone that they had a hard time getting used to the idea of having someone on their team. Two months after I started working with them we had to go on a deep undercover assignment and we couldn't let the guy we were investigating understand that we knew each other. That's why we came up with a code. In case one of us felt like it was time to get away from the whole thing that person would have to send a text message to the rest of the team. The message had to be one that no one would be able to understand what it meant but us. Callen's message was 'I'm sick'. The day after I got that message his car blew up on the middle of a desert street and everyone, including me, thought he was dead. A few weeks later I received a text with Kensi's code. It was 'We're done'. The day after I got that message her apartment blew up and I thought she was dead. I only found out what was going on a few days later when they both showed up to help me arrest those guys."

Sam seems shocked with this. "So you think Callen was trying to tell us that they were the ones who arranged the bomb and that they are alive and well?"

Renko nods. "It's just a thought but don't you think it would be a hell of a coincidence?"

Sam nods and seems thoughtful for a moment. They need to call Hetty.

However, the second he grabs his phone to dial Hetty's number it rings and her name flashes on the screen. In any other occasion they would comment how weird this is but now it's not time for jokes.

Sam answers the phone. "Hetty, we were about to call you."

Her voice seems somewhat relieved when she speaks. "I just got off the phone. Mr. Callen called me, gentlemen. He is fine and so is Ms. Blye. However, he told me you two should meet them on the third floor of the LA Memorial hospital. I'm sure he will give us all the details we might want to know as soon as we get there."

With that she hangs up and Sam starts driving to the hospital, his brain filled with questions he desperately wants to ask Callen and Kensi.

What were they thinking about?

Worrying them like that was just not cool.

Well, they tried to warn them so this whole situation was probably Renko's fault.

He would think about ways to make him pay for his lousy memory later on, after seeing that Kensi and Callen are both alive and well with his own eyes.

X

Deeks just stands there in shock, not fully believing in what he's seeing. Callen looks up and sees him there. He hangs up the phone and walks to him slowly, understanding that he's in shock. Callen touches his arm to try to break him out of his trance-like state and that seems to get his attention. Deeks looks at him, still shocked beyond comprehension.

"We saw you in the apartment seconds before it blew up. No one would be able to survive that. You and Kensi were both there."

Callen grabs his arm and drags him until they are both sitting on the chairs of the waiting room.

"Deeks, Kensi and I planned that explosion. I sent that message to Hetty because it was sort of like a code between me and Renko but I guess he didn't remember it. One can never rely on Renko's memories, it seems. As soon as we made sure everyone saw us inside the apartment we jumped through the back window. We had filled the dumpster with soft materials before and we landed on top of it. We were already out of the apartment when it blew up. Then I had to take care of Shark but I can assure you we are all okay."

Deeks turns to Callen. "Kensi's alive? Is she okay? Where is she, Callen? Why are we in the hospital?"

Callen smiles, seeing that Deeks is starting to come out of the shock. "She's fine, Deeks. The only reason why we're here is because we need to make sure that what started this whole mess is fine too."

Deeks frowns and seems confused but one look at Callen's smiling face gives him the information he needs. He gets up and rushes to the room indicated in the message Callen sent him before. Callen follows him with a smile on his face.

As soon as he opens the door, Deeks almost faints in pure relieve.

Kensi is lying on a hospital bed and there's a doctor next to her but they are both smiling softly.

Kensi's eyes are fixed on the screen besides the bed and she doesn't even turn her head when she hears the door.

The doctor turns to them with a big smile on her face and makes them a signal to be in silence.

Deeks follows Kensi's stare and sees a little movement on the screen.

That's his baby, right there.

Then he hears it, the sound that changes his life forever and that brings happy tears to his eyes.

He listens to his son or daughter's heartbeat. The doctor turns to him and smiles. "Congratulations, daddy."

Deeks walks to Kensi's side and kisses her forehead.

She looks at him with happy tears on her eyes too and a smile so big that he can't fight against the urge to kiss her.

When they pull back, she strokes his cheek. "We're having a baby."

Deeks nods and laughs with her before kissing her again. He never thought he'd get to do this again after what he saw this morning. But not only she's alive…she's also carrying his son or daughter. The doctor informs them that she's 12 weeks pregnant and Deeks laughs because the thought of his wife not noticing that she was over three months late is just hilarious to him.

The doctor looks at them once again. "I'll print two copies of your baby's first picture so you can look at him or her whenever you feel like it."

Then Callen speaks for the first time since they got there and makes them all laugh. "You better print five of those. I have the feeling that that kid is going to have three very proud and protective uncles really soon."

**X**

**X**

**Dear readers, **_**ONE**_** more chapter to go.**

**Review and I might post it until the end of the week.**

**Sarah**


	8. Chapter 8

_I want to start this last chapter with a huge 'thank you' for all of you who took the time to read and review not only this story but also 'Vulnerable'. Every time I start thinking about how this whole thing started it makes me realize I'm completely crazy. Vulnerable was supposed to be just a one-shot because there were not enough M stories featuring Kensi and Deeks. _

_I hope you enjoy this last chapter. Tell me what you think about this one last time._

_Sarah_

**Epilogue**

_3 __Months later_

Kensi is sitting on her desk, bored out of her mind.

She is currently over five months pregnant and Hetty assigned her to desk duty only.

The truth is that Deeks wouldn't have allowed her to go out to the field one way or another.

Hell, none of the guys would allow her to go out to the field while carrying the small human being inside of her.

She is not crazy enough to do such a thing either.

But now, sitting on her desk with nothing to do but fill out paperwork she wishes she could have gone with the guys just this once, even though the only reason while they are not on the office is because they went to pick up lunch.

Deeks is the first one to walk through the doors with a paper bag on his hands. He sets it in front of her and she looks at him suspiciously. "Did you bring me my bacon?"

Deeks nods and leans down for a peck on the lips before stroking her rounded belly. "Of course I did. My princess and my baby give the orders and I follow them obediently."

Kensi smiles sweetly at him and he sits on the couch behind her. Callen and Sam walk in with their lunches too.

Callen sits on his chair and starts messing with Kensi. "So, mommy, busy morning?"

Kensi's mood swings are not something one should mess with and they should know that by now. Deeks just shakes his head and gets ready for the yelling that is about to occur. His wife gets up with a look on her face that would make the strongest of man run for cover. It's a good thing looks can't kill otherwise Callen would be dead and buried by now.

She walks to Callen's desk and speaks using a sweet but fake tone of voice that scares them all even more. "You think that being pregnant is easy?"

Callen is obviously in the mood for some action and her look doesn't stop him. "Yes, I do. How hard can it be to sit around all day and have people satisfying your every need?"

"My feet hurt if I stand for too long, my back hurts from sitting on this chair all day, I can't sleep unless Deeks rests his hand on my stomach because the moment he removes it the baby starts kicking so hard that I can't even close my eyes, my favorite clothes don't fit me anymore and I'm hungry all the time. And I'm not even going to mention the ridiculous amount of times I have to go to the bathroom during the day. How hard can that be, right?"

Callen lets out a small laugh and extends his hand towards Sam who seems annoyed. "I told you she would mention the clothes."

Sam hands Callen 10 dollars and Deeks laughs from his spot on the couch. Kensi rolls her eyes and smack first Callen and then Sam across the head.

Then she walks to the couch and sits sideways on Deeks lap. Deeks rests his hand on her stomach to feel his baby kicking and moving.

It makes him smile every single time.

They have yet to find out the sex of the baby because they can never see it when they go to the appointments. It seems like the baby is as stubborn and his or her mother. Callen joked with that and told them that if he or she really was like Kensi they would only find out the sex during the adolescence.

**X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X**

_4 months later_

It's the team night out but that hardly matters because nowadays they spend every single night at Deeks and Kensi's house.

She's currently nine months pregnant and they are all on the edge.

Hetty doesn't even allow her to go to the office anymore and Deeks took a few days off so he could stay home with her.

Callen and Sam are still working but they keep their phones on and close by at all times and jump every single time they ring. Eric and Nell found a new practical joke. They call them when they are somewhat relaxed just to see them freaking out and jumping to answer the phone.

Now they are sitting on the living room watching a movie and making silly comments about it.

Kensi is sitting on the couch but the guys are on the floor sharing some pizza.

She can't even bring herself to eat.

She has been having weird pains in her waist ever since this morning but decided not to tell anyone about them. It would only worry them and she knows it's probably nothing to worry about. It's probably because of the weight of the baby.

However, it's starting to get harder to ignore them.

She gets up to go to the bathroom and the three men turn to her at the same time with worried looks on their faces. Kensi tells them she's only going to the bathroom and they seem to relax as she walks away.

It's cute to see how much they worry about her and it never fails to amuse her whenever she gets up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and sees Deeks waiting for her just outside the door to make sure she's alright.

She loves this baby but she needs him or her to get out of her. She wants her body back. God, it's been a few weeks since she has had some 'alone time' with her husband because she feels tired all the time and she misses it. Deeks is a great guy and never tries to start anything because he knows she can't bring herself to have sex in this state. She's thankful for that.

X

When Kensi comes back downstairs she is walking even slower than usual and the guys turn to her worriedly. Deeks gets up as soon as he sees the look on her face. She seems in pain and as soon as they understand that, Callen and Sam get up too and rush after Deeks who is already by her side holding her. Her hands are holding her stomach and they understand this has something to do with the baby.

Deeks is worried and holding her, afraid that she'll fall. "What's wrong, princess? Are you okay? Is the baby okay? Talk to me, Kens…"

Kensi breathes in and put a couple of times before answering him with a small smile on her face. "Don't freak out but my waters just broke. The baby is coming."

Deeks stands there, shocked and without knowing what to do or say. Callen and Sam are not in a much better state.

They only seemed to wake up from their trance when she lets out a yell of pain and clutches onto Deeks hand as hard as she can, almost breaking it.

Deeks holds her more tightly now that he knows what's going on and makes her sit on a chair nearby before looking at Callen and Sam. "Callen, go upstairs to out bedroom and grab the bag that is by the closet. Sam, here's my phone and the numbers you need to call to inform of what's going on. You only need to talk to Hetty, Renko and her brothers seeing as you two are already here."

They follow his orders and Deeks gets down on his knees next to Kensi, stroking her stomach and holding her hand to try and keep the pan away from the woman he loves. "Princess, I'm going to get the car out of the garage. I'll be right back, okay?"

He tries to get up but Kensi holds onto his hand and prevents him from moving. "Don't leave me alone. Please, don't go anywhere right now Deeks."

Deeks sees the fear in her eyes and kisses her forehead to calm her down. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here, Kens."

When Callen gets back downstairs, Deeks hands him the car keys and Sam puts the bag in the car. Deeks gets up and carries Kensi to the car even though she keeps protesting and saying that she's too heavy. Callen drives them to the hospital and Deeks is sure that he ignored a few red signs but he will personally use all his favors back at LAPD to get him rid of the tickets.

The doctors take her to a room as soon as they arrive to the hospital and Deeks is by her side the whole time, holding her hand and wishing that he could take all the pain away from her.

X

Deeks never knew it could be like this. Sure, he has heard plenty of stories but this is something new to him in so many ways.

Love is something he's already familiar with but this is completely new. He's not one to believe in love at first sight but things tend to change.

Now, looking at the little boy on the hospital crib he finds himself smiling just because he's holding his finger while sleeping. He loves Andrew Deeks since the moment he first held him on his arms. Then he looks at Kensi's sleeping form and smiles once again. He never knew he could love this woman even more but he was proved wrong. She gave him a son. She went through horrible pains to give him this baby, the living proof of the strength of their love for each other. She seems to sense his eyes on her because she wakes up and smiles at him. Deeks gets up and kisses her lip, pushing a few hairs out of her forehead.

He's the first one to break the silence but his voice is no louder than a whisper because he doesn't want to wake up his newborn baby. "I love you so much, princess."

She gives him a tired but happy smile. "I love you too."

They don't have the time to say or do anything else because Callen, Sam and Renko walk inside the room as silently as possible. Callen is holding a huge teddy bear, Renko has a bouquet of flowers and Sam has some balloons. They all give her a kiss on the cheek and shake Deeks hand to congratulate him before gathering around the baby's crib, even though he's fast asleep.

Deeks sits on the bed next to Kensi and gathers her in his arms, dropping small butterfly kisses all over her face.

She looks up and looks into his eyes. "He's going to be just like his father when it comes to women when he grows up."

Deeks smiles and holds her close to his chest. "Why is that?"

She shrugs and kisses his neck. "He has your eyes. It was the first thing I noticed about you."

Deeks looks at his baby's crib that is still surrounding by the 'over-protective uncles' and smiles at her. "Let's just hope he doesn't have his mother's trouble's magnet."

Kensi laughs and cuddles to her husband's chest. He kisses the top of her head and orders her to get some rest.

He never knew it was possible to feel this way.

Deeks is sure that the smile on his face won't leave anytime soon. This is his family and he couldn't wish for anything better.

He has the love of his life resting comfortably on his arms and his baby sleeping by his side. He is happy and his family is happy. What more can he ask for?

He already has it all.


End file.
